Citko-DuPlantis 50:1

ABSTRACT

MAŁGORZATA KAROLINA CITKO-DUPLANTIS
The Poet Who Challenged the Shogun: Asukai Masayo and Shinshoku Kokin Wakashū

During Japan’s late medieval era, the Ashikaga shoguns wished to merge the imperial and warrior governments and establish a feudal monarchy. Shogun Ashikaga Yoshinori made considerable efforts to acquire cultural capital and start a new imperial dynasty. He understood the symbolic importance of ancient traditions for the realization of his ambitions. One gesture aimed at acquiring cultural authority was his initiation and sponsorship of a literary project known today as the last imperial anthology of waka, Shinshoku kokin wakashū. The collection reveals that its compiler, Asukai Masayo, challenged the shogun with an agenda that undermined Yoshinori’s authority.